Paralysis Care

What is Care24’s Paralysis care at home?

Due to paralysis, your loved one will not be able to feel any sensation in the affected part. Paralysis can affect one side of the body, a condition known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, it is known as diplegia.

Paralysis can be caused due to various reasons. The most common reasons are any form of injury that your loved one suffers on the spinal cord or head, a stroke, or multiple sclerosis.

How to Identify?

Paralysis can be either localised, where it affects only a certain part of the body, or generalised, where it will affect a bigger part of your loved one’s body

If your loved one is getting a paralytic attack, here are some of the most common symptoms you may notice:

Suddenly feel dazed or confused

Suddenly feel a weakness in the hands or legs, or in one side of the body

Have problems in vision and may see blurry

May feel dizzy or even fall down in a fainting spell

Have difficulty in movement, coordination or balance

Suffer a seizure attack

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Suddenly feel dazed or confused

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Suddenly feel a weakness in the hands or legs, or in one side of the body

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Have problems in vision and may see blurry

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May feel dizzy or even fall down in a fainting spell

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Have difficulty in movement, coordination or balance

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Suffer a seizure attack

Causes of Paralysis

Paralysis can happen for a number of reasons, but the most common causes are as follows:

Spinal cord injury – the nerves inside the spinal cord get damaged.

Stroke – the blood that flows to the brain gets blocked, or a blood vessel inside the brain bursts.

Lyme disease – type of bacterial infection that is caused by the bites of some types of ticks.

Muscular dystrophy – causes degeneration in the skeletal muscles.

Spina bifida – type of neural tube defect in which the spinal column cannot close properly.

Post-polio syndrome – type of viral condition where the virus attacks those nerves that control motor function.

Spinal tumours – an abnormal growth in the tissues that impairs function.

Therapies for Paralysis

At the moment, there is no cure available for paralysis. While this can be a difficult thing to live with, especially if you or your loved one have suffered a paralytic attack, there are various aids and methods that can bring some improvement in the condition.

Here are some methods that can help to cope better and aid in recovery:

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Mobility Aids

Mobility aids will help your loved one movefrom one place to the other. These can beoperated individually, or may require thehelp of a caregiver. Wheelchairs, braces andorthoses are some examples.

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Assistive Aids

Assistive aids refer to the different types of technological devices that can help your loved one perform various activities independently. These can also help to improve their mobility and functional skills. Environmental control units and specially adapted computers are some examples.

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Ways To Manage Pain

In some cases, your loved one may suffer from nerve damage as a result of paralysis that is caused due to some injury. This happens especially in case of injury to the spinal cord. As a result, your loved one can experience pain in the nerves. Most painkillers will not be effective on neuropathic pain and the doctor may prescribe alternative medicines.

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Managing Breathing Issues

Paralysis of the upper neck caused by spinal injury can cause paralysis in the diaphragm. As a result, your loved one can have difficulty in breathing and will require help in the form of a ventilator.

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Managing Coughing

Paralysis also causes problems with coughing, when your loved one wants to cough but finds it difficult to do so. This can become a serious health hazard, because when there is a build-up of mucus or secretions in the lungs, it can make the lungs congested and lead to lung infection. A caregiver can help your loved one cough out the mucus. Specialized vests are also available to apply pressure and cause coughing.

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Managing Muscle Spasm

Paralysis can cause stiffness and muscle spasms. Muscle relaxants, injectable medicines such as Botox, or intrathecal baclofen therapy can help.

Exercise Therapy

Even though your loved one may not be able to move certain parts of the body, it is important to have some form of regular exercise. Exercising regularly will help to maintain as well as improve blood circulation and also strengthen the affected muscles. It will also help your loved one to regain balance and motor skills in the areas that are affected.

A physiotherapist can:

Build a customised exercise and recovery plan based on the patient’s overall condition, symptoms and wounds.

Improve balance.

Teach strengthening exercises.

Care for wounds.

Assess the patient’s bed and help guide for the perfect bed or seat that can help.

There are various exercises that the physiotherapist will teach your loved one and help them as they perform the same.

Exercises such as hip rotation exercise and its variation, ankle rotation exercise, toe rotation exercise and leg rotation exercise can be extremely beneficial. All these exercises will help to bring back strength in the muscles and can also improve your loved one’s ability to move.

In addition to the above exercises, a physiotherapist will also help your loved one try out various other forms of exercises. Aerobics exercises will help in the exchange of oxygen to different muscle tissues. It is especially helpful if your loved one suffered the paralysis attack after a stroke. Such exercises will also help to improve sensory motor function in your loved one.

Leg rotation exercises will help your loved one especially if they are suffering from paralysis in the lower limbs. The physiotherapist can also suggest some physical conditioning exercises that can improve your loved one’s overall health, fitness as well as stamina. This will help them perform better while exercising and also speed up the recovery process.

Home Remedy

At Care24, we do believe in the importance of home remedies. However, we strongly suggest that you speak to a doctor before using any of the below mentioned home remedies for yourself or your loved ones.

Here are some home remedies that may help to offer relief to a loved one suffering from paralysis:

Take some asparagus leaves, and grind them after cleaning them thoroughly. Apply these on the areas where your loved one experiences pain.

Sauté the leaves of drumsticks in castor oil and apply in the areas where there is pain.